These Chains That Bind Us Together
by brabbit1029
Summary: I loved the one-shot from Volume 8 which inspired me to write this. Alice and Gil, along with most of the gang, are members of Pandora together. One day, they come across a mysterious boy named Oz. At first, he seemed like an innocent young boy, but it turns out he's not all he seems. And he is somehow related to the very thing everyone has been looking for.
1. Chapter 1: A New Story

**I DO NOT OWN PANDORA HEARTS OR ANY CHARACTERS! ALL RIGHTS GOT TO JUN MOCHIZUKI, THE BEST MANGA WRITER IN THE WORLD!**

**I may add OC's later, but I'm not sure.**

**Later on, I will be doing plenty of Oz POVs, it's just that he hasn't been introduce**

* * *

**Chapter 1: A New Story**

**Alice POV**

"Alice-chan!"

A young girl whirled around at the sound of her name. She was wearing a red coat designed with a white diamond pattern and a big white bow on her chest, a black skirt, and white laced up boots. Her long dark her tumbled down her shoulders to the ground. She had a porcelain face with purple (in anime blue) eyes that narrowed with disgust.

"You again?" Alice groaned at the young man running towards her.

"How mean, aren't you happy to see me?" Xerxes Break giggled. He had pure white hair with long bangs swept to one side, fully concealing his left eye, while his other blood-red eyes was fully visible. He wore a white coat that started under his shoulders with long sleeves over a purple vest. He had his cane and hand, and his doll Emily was perched on his shoulder.

"Are you heading to dinner?" Break asked in his usual cheerful voice. "Mind if I join you?"

Alice scowled. "Whatever." She continued walking with Break beside her.

"So, how was your last mission?" Break leaned forward so that Alice was actually facing him.

"Last mission?" Alice leaned her head back and rubbed the back of her neck in exasperation. "Ah, that one? Exhausting."

Last night, Alice had been hunting down an illegal contractor along with some older members, though  
they had really just slowed her down.

Alice and Break were both members of Pandora, an organization that researched the Abyss and hunted illegal contractors. Illegal contractors were humans who made contracts with Chains by drinking their blood. Chains were beings who resided in the Abyss, a different world in a different dimension. The only way they could leave the Abyss was to form a contract with a human.

Some Pandora members also had contracts, but they were legal. They found out a way to legally form a contract with Chains, but in return, they stopped aging. Others used blood sealing mirrors to keep the seal from their body, though it limited the Chain's powers.

They entered the dining room, a large room filled with tables and the smell of food. Members were sharing stories and chugging down alcohol in the back. Women were sipping tea and nibbling bisuits at tables.

Alice didn't know many people in the organization. She never really interacted with any of the other members, feeling there was no need.

"Break! Alice-sama!"

Alice spotted a young girl running towards them. She had long long caramel hair held up with a purple ribbon. She had on her regular puprle and pink Victorian-style dress. The sound of her heels clanking on the marble floor echoed across the room. She seemed clueless of all the man drooling at her. Alice simply rolled her eyes.

"Hello, ojousama." Break bowed towards his mistress.

"Break." Sharon smiled sweetly. "And hello, Alice-chan."

This girl was Sharon Rainsworth, the Lady of the Rainsworth household, and Break was her servant. Even though she appeared to be 13, she had formed a legal contract with a. chain, so who knows how old she was. The same went for Break.

"Would you two care two join us?" Sharon gestured to a table next to one of the windows. Seated there was a man in his early twenties with unkempt dark hair peeking under a black hat. He had on a long black coat over a collared shirt and black pants. He gave off a gloomy yet handsome aura from his golden eyes.

_"It's him."_ Alice scowled. But before she could refuse, Break cried out "Oh, Gilbert-kun!" and dragged her towards the table.

Gilbert Nightray looked up from his cup of tea. As soon as his eyes met Alice's they narrowed. Alice glared back at them.

Alice had known Gil for a long time. They had known each other in the past, but they hadn't interacted much. And now, they butted heads every time they saw each other, though that wasn't often.

"Yo, Gilbert-kun!" Break grinned from ear to ear. "Mind if we join you?"

Gilbert glanced at Alice once more before sighing. "Do what you want."

"Ah, I'm starving!" Break plopped down in the seat next to Gil with Sharon on his other side.

"How many times have I told you not to call me my real name?" Gilbert sighed. Everyone in Pandora knew him as Raven after his Chain, though Break and Sharon both ignored this. Alice hastily took a seat on the other side of the table. She grabbed a drumstick from the plate in the center of the table and ripped off a chunk of flesh with her teeth.

Gilbert gagged. "Should a girl really be eating like that?" Alice swallowed her meat and scowled. "Huh? What was that, seaweed head?" "Don't call me that! Gilbert snapped.

Alice sneered with her usual leering, I'm-the-boss face, legs crossed with a huff. "Why not? It fits you perfectly." "Shut up, you hog."

"Hog? How dare a lowly manservant such as you think he has the right to call me that!" Alice snapped. "Manservant?" Gilbert exclaimed. "Since when-"

"Now, now." Break calmed them down. "You two always fight whenever you see each other. That's exactly why I want you two to go on your next mission together."

Alice choked on her meat. Gilbert splurted out his tea. "Wh-what?!"

"Ah ha ha ha! See?! That there!" Break laughed hysterically. "They're completely in sync."

"Why must I be partnered up with her?" Gilbert demanded.

"Ah, this cake is delicious!" Break's sweet tooth arose as he dug into the slice of blueberry cake on his plate. "Pay attention!" Gilbert snapped.

"Why must I be with this seaweed head?" Alice jumped out of her chair. "You stupid clown!"

"Please calm down, Alice-sama, Gilbert-sama." Sharon innocently smiled. "You two are one of our top yet youngest members. This mission is a very big one."

"Hah?! What do you mean?" Alice narrowed her eyes.

"Why don't we discuss this later in my office?" Break stuffed another chunk of cake into his mouth with delight. "Mmm, delicious!"

Alice scowled and plopped back down into her seat. She glared at Gil with disdain and took another gigantic bite out of her drunstick.

"This sucks."

Gil POV

"This sucks."

Gilbert sighed as he head towards Break's office.

"Why must I cooperate with that meat hog?" Gilbert groaned. He had never like Alice in the first place, and now they had to work together. It was almost as impossible as Break giving up on his sweets.

He reached Break's office in ten minutes flat and opened the door.

"Break, I'm-"

"Seaweed head!"

Gilbert cried out as Alice sent him a flying kick. He slammed into the wall behind him.

"Wh-what the hell was that for?!" Gilbert rubbed the back of his throbbing head.

"You useless seaweed head." Alice said in a slurred voice. She looked dizzy, and her face was bright red.

_"Is she drunk?"_

"Man, why do I hafta partner with him, huh?" Alice staggered.

"Yo, Gilber-kun!" Break's head popped out of the doorway. "I just slipped a little something in their tea and now they're all like this!"

"Break, you idiot!" Sharon's voice shouted from inside the room.

"Hai, ojousama?" Break turned around as if nothing was wrong.

Gilbert walked into the room then gasped. Sharo was sprawled out of the couch, waving her paper fan. Her dress was loosely slipping off her shoulders.

"My head hurts, dammit!" Sharon slapped Break with her fan, who just laughed. Gilbert gaped in awe.

_"So Sharon has this kind of side as well..."_

"Don't worry, Gilbert-kun, they'll be fine. Please have a seat." Break said from under Sharon, who was sitting on him and pulling hisarms off pro-wrestler style.

"They don't look fine!" Gilbert exclaimed.

"So noisy." Alice, whowas lying flat on the ground, complained.

**A while later...**

"Damn you, you stupid clown!" Alice began beating Break down as soon as she was sober. "Ah, they're back to normal!" Break simply said.

"Break..." Sharon stood above her servant, fan in hand. Her eyes were on fire. "May I ask why you have taken such actions?"

"Because I was bored, ojousama!" Break replied instantly.

"What kinda reply is that, why you?!" Sharon began slapping him silly. Even Alice looked shocked.

"U-um, Break..." Gilbert raised a hand. "What about the mission?"

"Oh, right!" Break sat up. "I forgot! Let's have some tea and-"

"NO TEA!" Gilbert, Alice, and Sharon exclaimed at the same time.

Once they all settled down in their seats, they began discussing the mission.

"So? What's this special mission?" Alice rested her legs on the coffee table and leaned back. Gilbert stared in disgust.

_"What kind of lady sits in such a posture?!"_

"Ah, you see," Break said in his serious, well, as serious as Break could get, voice. He sat in his chair and rested his chin on his hands. "There have been a series of murders in a town east from here. The victims are killed ruthlessly, but all at random. It is obvious that this is the work of a contractor, though?"

"Huh? Isn't that just the same as always, then?" Alice questioned.

"Mmmm, I guess so." Break mused. "But the mission itself isn't what interests me. It's the contractor."

"The contractor?" Gilbert echoed.

"Well, to be more specific, the Chain." Break admitted. "Eveidence from the crime scenes have proved that the Chain killing those people may be...

"B-Rabbit."

Tension rose in the air. The temperature dropped. Alice's eyes widned. Gilbert felt as if he couldn't move.

"D-did you just say..." Gilbert slowly regained his voice. "B-Rabbit?"

Alice slammed her hand on the table. "The B-Rabbit? The most dangerous and powerful chain of the Abyss?"

Break nodded. "So it would seem."

"But...why?" Gilbert demanded. "B-Rabbit would have no reason to do something as little as killing random civilians."

"Like I said, it might be B-Rabbit." Break corrected him. "That's why I want you two to head over there and see if it's true."

"And what if it is?" Alice asked.

"Don't try to fight. I have only heard rumors of the tremendous power B-Rabbit holds." Break said firmly.

"Oh, please." Alice smirked. "Don't underestimate me, you clown. I have my sword, and this wimpy guy over here has a powerful chain at least."

"Winpy?!" Gilbert seethed in rage. He often relied on his pistol rather than his physical abilities, and he only used Raven as a last resort. Even though Alice wasn't a contractor, he had a large double-edged sword that sheswung around maniacally, though surprisingly effective.

"I'm not. We just don't know what that Chain is capable of." Break explained. "B-Rabbit is a mystery. No one knows of its origins or specifics on its powers. No one even knows how it looks like."

"Blah blah blah." Alice smirked. "All right." She stood up. "I'll go."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Gilbert exclaimed.

"I don't care if you're too scared of a seaweed head to go." Alice huffed. "This sounds interesting. It's worth checking out, even if it's with you." Determination sparkled in Alice's purple eyes.

"That's the spirit!" Break beamed. "And you, Gilbert-kun?"

Gilbert looked around the room. Break was grinning, Sharon was sipping her tea, and Alice had her "You-big-baby" look in her eyes. He sighed heavily.

"I guess I have no choice."

"Then, it's settled." Break jumped onto his feet. "You two will leave first thing in the morning, so got get some sleep!"

"Oh, and don't die!" Break called out after them.

_"They way he says that isn't assuring."_ Gilbert sighed again. He watched Alice as she strode confidentlly towards her room.

_"Are we really going to be all right?"_

* * *

**How was it? Please leave reviews!**

_**"I envy those people."**_

_**"This atmosphere...it's so scary."**_

_**"The criminal is not an ordinary man! It's a Chain!"**_

_**"I finally found you! You're father Harris Watson, aren't you?"**_

_**"You're justa boy. What can you do? Do you know anything about B-rabbit?"**_

_**"B-Rabbit...isn't something to mess around with."**_

_**"I know. B-Rabbit is the most powerful Chain, isn't it? But...even so...I have to kill B-Rabbit! At all costs! I don't care how powerful of a Chain it is!"**_

**Next Chapter:**

**Bloody Roses**


	2. Chapter 2: Bloody Roses

**Chapter 2: Bloody Roses**

Alice POV

"Meat!" I savored the smell of grilling beef and lamb wafting from the stalls.

"We're on a mission, you know." Gilbert growled and dragged her roughly by the collar away from the grill.

"Buy me some, seaweed head!" Alice demanded. "As if!" Gilbert snapped. "Stop acting like a child! You're attracting too much attention.

Alice pouted but let Gilbert drag her behind him. These wonderful smells were irresistible.

"Hey, look at these flowers!"

_"Flowers?"_ Alice perked up and scanned the ground. She spotted a group of girls surrounding a flower cart. They were about her age, dressed neatly in long flowing dresses with bonnets on their heads.

"They're pretty!" One girl beamed, examining a tiger lily in her hand.

"They smell nice." Another girl sniffed a bouquet.

"What's wrong?" Gilbert noticed that Alice had stopped in her tracks. He followed her gaze.

"I envy those people." Alice mumbled. She wasn't sure if Gilbert had heard, but his cold face seemed to soften slightly. "Let's go." He said.

Alice nodded and ripped her gaze away from the girls.  
_  
"Why can't I be them?"_ Alice held her head low. The smells of food didn't seem as appealing.

There were many times Alice just wanted to be a normal girl. Go to school. Go out with friends. Worry about studying and what dress to wear and the size of her blouse. Not the possible destruction of the entire world.

Alice shook her head. _"No, no. This is stupid. I-"  
_  
"KYAAAAAAHHHH!"

A loud, high-pitched shriek pierced the air. The townspeople paused in their festivities and looked around in panic.

Alice met eyes with Gilbert who nodded. Together, they dashed off towards the sound. They found a woman in her mid-thirties crumpled to the ground, shaking hard with wide, fearful eyes.

"Are you alright?" Gilbert knelt down besides the woman. Her face was pale white.

"B-B-B..." The woman stammered. "Please calm down, ma'am. What is it?"

"B-B-Rabbit..." The woman scuttled backwards. "B-Rabbit is back!"

"B-Rabbit?!" Alice exclaimed. She ran into the dark alley in front of them, ignoring Gilbert's shouts.

She halted to a stop in the middle of the alley. It was almost as if it were night. The shadows weren't letting a single ray of sunshine through. Alice suddenly realized she was shivering. She wrapped her arms tightly around her body.

_"This atmosphere...it's so scary."_

Alice looked around. For some reason, she felt frightened.

She took a few steps forward before she heard something wet squish beneath her feet. She looked down and squinted under the dark light. A puddle of liquid surrounded her feet.

She examined it closer and realized it was red.

"Blood?!" She slowly followed the trail of blood to the back of the alley.

Blood was splattered all over the walls. First, she found a limp hand. Then she found a handless arm that led to a cold, lifeless body drenched in blood and cut into pieces.

Alice gasped and staggered back. Her stomach churned. She glanced at the side and found some writing in blood dripping down the walls.

B-Rabbit.

**Gilbert POV**

"That damn girl, running off like that." After calming the woman down, Gilbert followed Alice into the alley.

"Oi, you stupid hog! Why-" He froze. Alice was shaking, eyes wide, gloved hands tight. Blood splattered the walls, and a messed up body leaned limply against the back wall.

"This is..." He followed Alice's gaze. On the side, the words "B-Rabbit" were written in blood.

"B-Rabbit?!" Gilbert ran towards the letters. The blood was still fresh and dripped down to the floor in small puddles.

"Hey!"

A group of policemen were running towards them.

"What do you two think you're doing?" One of the men demanded.

_"Shit."_

"Oh, um, we were just…" Gilbert began. "Did you do this?" The officers held up their weapons. "What? No, we…"

"We just heard that lady back there and rushed over here." Alice stepped up. "We still need to question you further." The officer informed them. "You-"

"Th-They didn't do it." The woman stumbled slowly towards the scene. "I found the body earlier. They heard me scream and came here. They're telling the truth."

In the end, Gilbert and Alice were still interrogated by the police along with the lady.

"Have you heard? B-Rabbit struck again."

"A young woman was cut to pieces.."

"This is the fifth victim, isn't it? What are the police doing about this?"

"How many times do I have to say it?!"

Gilbert looked up from his conversation with a policeman. A young man dressed in priest's robes with a spectacle on one eye and a cross necklace on his neck slammed his fist against the wall.

"The criminal is not an ordinary man! It's a Chain!"

"What?!" Gilbert stood up abruptly. Did this man know about Chains?

_"He sort of looks like Reim."_

"Chain? What's that?" One of the police officers asked. "Ah…" The chief tried to stop him.

"A Chain is a denizen of a dark world called the Abyss, drawn into this world by contracts with humans!" The priest explained. The chief just sighed. "Listen priest, I don't care if you want to carry out your own investigation, but please stop wasting our time with these ridiculous stories. Where did you hear that, anyway?"

"Well, actually, it was revealed to me!" The priest made a flourishing gesture with his hand. "By the voice of god!"

The chief stared at the sparkling priest, then kicked him to the ground "Go home."

"WHY?!" The priest exclaimed from the ground.

_"He he he. He looks like Reim but definitely doesn't act like him."_

"It's true I tell you!" The priest cried out as the chief continued beating him. "Shut up!

"How foolish." Alice spat. "This is a murder scene, ya know." "Y-yeah…" Gilbert sweatdropped. He scanned the growing crowd. One boy caught his eye. He had blonde hair and emerald green eyes. He wore a white dress shirt with a gray vest and red tie. He had on green shorts and a pair of boots. He was staring intently at the Father on the ground.

_"What's a little boy doing at a murder scene?"_

The Father eventually left. Gilbert noticed the boy following him.

_"What does he want?"_

**Harris POV**

Father Harris sighed. He rubbed is head and gloomily leaned against a wall "They didn't even listen to me…I wonder why…"

"I finally found you!"

Harris turned around in shock A young blonde boy grabbed his arm tightly. He had on a strained, desperate expression. "You're Father Harris Watson, aren't you?"

"Y-You are…?" Harris uttered.

"My name is Oz, and I was looking for you, Father!" The boy exclaimed. "For me?" Harris echoed. "There's something I need to tell you…about B-Rabbit!"

"Wh-" Harris stammered. "…I understand, but we can't stay here. My church is close by, we can go there-"

"Wait a minute, you two."

Harris jumped back a good five feet. A young girl with long dark hair and purple eyes had appeared before him. She had her hands on her hips and scanned him with disdain. Next to her was a mellow man dressed in black.

"You." The girl pointed her finger at Harris' face. "You know about Chains?" "Huh? Um, yes…" Harris replied hastily. _"Who are these people? What's going on? And they believe me about Chains?"_

"And you." The girl swung her finger towards Oz. "H-Hai?" Oz lifted his hands up instinctively. "You know something about B-Rabbit?"

"Um, yeah…" Oz trailed off uncomfortably.

"Ok." The girl sighed. "You said your church is near, right, priest? Let's go."

"Huh? W-wait!" Harris snapped out of his daze. _"What is with these people?"_

"Um, excuse me." The dark man tipped his hat. "Um, you see, we are from Pandora. We research about Chains and stop illegal contractors. We came here after hearing some rumors about B-Rabbit. Could you share what you know with us?"

"Um, sure…"

_"What the hell is going on?!"_

Harris led the group of strangers to his church. It wasn't that big, but people visited frequently. He served them tea in the cramped kitchen in the back of the church.

"Oh, I'm Alice." The girl suddenly seemed to remember they were complete strangers. "And this seaweed head is Raven." The seaweed head didn't seem too happy. "Ok, let's start with you. How are you related to B-Rabbit?" Alice turned to Oz.

"Oh, um, you see…"

"THE YOUNGER BROTHER OF ONE OF THE VICTIMS?!" Harris exclaimed after hearing Oz's explanation.

"Yes." Oz meekly stared at his tea cup. "The girl killed three days ago was my older sister. We lost both our parents when we were young. My sister…she sold her body for money. That day, when it had gotten late and she still hadn't come back…I was worried something might happen to her…I went looking for her. And that's when I saw him. A short man dressed in priest robes coming out of a dark alley!"

"Priest robes?! Really?!" Harris demanded. "Oz nodded. "And the next morning, my sister's body was discovered in that alley…"

_"No way…"_ Harris found himself shaking uncontrollably in his seat.

"Of course, my sister may have been stupid and good-for-nothing, but..." Oz balled his fists tight over his thighs. His voice began to shake, and tears began to plop onto his hands. "But she was everything to me. She was the only family I had!"

With a sniff, he wiped away his tears and stood up. "I…will never forgive her murderer! That man…he killed my sister! So, please, Father…" Oz slammed his hands on the table, making father Harrris jump. "Let me help you with your investigation!"

Harris was speechless. Oz's eyes shone with sadness and determination. It was just too sad.

"Fool."

All attention turned to Alice. She had her legs crossed and glared at Oz. "You're just a boy. What can you do? Do you know anything about B-Rabbit?"

"But…!" Oz faced Alice. "You guys are looking for B-Rabbit, right?! Please let me help you!"

For a while, there was silence. Alice said nothing. Slowly, she began to shake. At first, Harris thought she was laughing, but then he realized she was containing her laughter. Soon, she was bursting out laughing, clutching her stomach as if what Oz had just said was the funniest thing she had ever heard.

"Wha-" Oz staggered back.

"You…help us?" Alice said between deep breaths. She stood and leaned forwards until her nose was only inches from Oz's. "It's so pathetic it's hilarious. You're just thinking you can somehow avenge your sister's death, but this is B-Rabbit. B-Rabbit-" She leaned even closer until Oz was bending backwards. "isn't something to mess around with."

Oz grimaced. "I know. B-Rabbit is the most powerful Chain, isn't it? But…even so…" He glared back at Alice. "I have to kill B-Rabbit! At all costs! I don't care how powerful of a Chain it is!"

Alice seemed slightly taken aback. So did Raven.

_"This boy's amazing. He must've really loved his sister. Well, I guess I can understand…"_

His thoughts were interrupted by Alice's laughter.

"Y-You're laughing again?' Oz stuttered in frustration. "I can't help it." Alice wiped away tears from her eyes. "You're a strange boy, ya know that?" "Um…" Oz blinked. "Thanks…?"

"Not bad." Alice crossed her arms. "You have guts, wanting to actually face the B-Rabbit head on like that. It's strange, but I like it."

She smiled mischievously at Oz. "Ok. I guess I'll take in one more manservant."

"Man…servant?" Oz cocked his head. "Stop calling people that. It's not right." Raven growled bluntly. "I have the right to." Alice snapped at him. Then she faced Oz again. "But don't you dare slow us down, ya hear? Don't get in the way or I'll grind your face under my boots."

Oz's face slowly broke into a smile. He nodded. "Hai!"

"Of course, you'll be cooperating with us as well." Alice glanced at Harris. "Eh? M-Me?" Harris almost fell out of his chair. Alice nodded.

"B-But…" Harris sighed.

_"What have I gotten into?"_

* * *

**_"I've finally found…my lead…"_**

**_Hey, why do Chains exist?"_**

**_"I want to know…the truth."_**

**_"The sky always looks so cheerful no matter what happens beneath it."_**

**_"The crimson red that drenches this dark world is so pretty, don't you think?"_**

**_"Go die…you monster!" _**

**_"I won't let anyone take anything away from me anymore!"_**

**Next Chapter:**

**Under the Sunny Blue Sky**


End file.
